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Open thread
- By Phillip Brownlee
- Posted July 14, 2006 at 12:07 a.m.
- Filed under Uncategorized
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71 Comments
Alright you open-threaders,move it on over here.We don’t want to clog up those tubes that Ted Stevens warned us about!
Okay, let’s try this again.Trolling & nics seem to be a re-occurring topic here.
Is there ANYBODY here (besides me) that has NEVER posted under other names?This has always been my real name and my real email address.You know when I first started commenting here, another regular suggested that I never post under my real name & that I use some phony email. Due to whackos and loonies that may want to do evil things, I guess. This person said I would end up getting fired from my job, my family would be harrassed, etc.I’m not stupid enough to think that phony names and addresses would protect me from those kind of people anyway. My work, home, and family have never been bothered by any unsolicited contact.
P.S. I have to admit that there is a slim to none chance of losing my job for being a commentator here.
I have never been anyone but gster.
And a damn funny gster at times, I must add.
I just gotta be me!!! And even though I’m on ‘vacation’ and out of state and all I’m so addicted to this dang site that I had to sneak a few minutes to see what’s going on. :) Is there a 12 step program for me? oh, I forgot – rehab is for quitters. ;)
Tracy – Ditto and thanks.Julie, what are you in for?G
Julie-you are powerless to change this habit.WE Blog is cunning, baffling and powerful.You can quit-you just can’t stay quit.Surrender yourself to WE Blog.
Need any 12-step advice?Just ask me.I’ll be glad to tell you:1)what it was like2)what happened3)what it is like now
Really, eight years ago I was too drunk to read.
I have a hard enough time being me most of the time. But I did change from my real name to this nic because like you someone suggested I should not post under my real name. But the e-mail has stay the same.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060713/ap_on_go_ot/cia_leak_lawsuit
Outed CIA Agent sues Cheney, Rowe and Libby for outing.
Tracy,I’ve posted over my real name and address since I got started here over a year ago. Nobody has given me any of the troubles your friend warned you about. Of course, everybody that reads this blog KNOWS I’m too crazy to mess with!
I wanna be me, I just gotta be me….
OK, I’m coming clean. Gittin’ madder by the minute, while clever (at least I think so) is too negative, I’m trying to run a positive, caring life. You doesn’t have to call me Ray, but you can call me by my proper name, Dennis
Jed, that’s two of us. Congrads, and welcome to Club Honesty.
IMHO, people who post anonamously may as well just be doing graffiti.Same impact.
Anybody else?
I do understand why people use nics. Some of them are like badges, displaying where their loyalties lie.
Right on Dennis.Welcome to Club Honesty!
Hey, we got a movement going on here!Any more joiners?
I did use Shocker96,01 yesterday to signify that I also have some roots here in response to 07.
Dennis, I post this from time to time. Your comment about a positive caring life prompted me to post this again.
A CHALLENGEI challenge the thinkers of the world to drop their sectarianism, their nationalism, and their partisanships, and in the spirit of brotherhood to work in their particular nation, regarding it as integral part of a great federation of nations, – a federation that now exists on the inner side, but waits for the activity of the world thinkers to bring it to materialisation on the outer side. I charge them to work in the cause of religion, and in the field of that particular religion in which they, by an accident of birth or choice, are interested, regarding each religion as part of the great world religion. They must look upon the activities of their group, society or organisation, as demanding their help, just in so far, as the principles on which they are founded, and the techniques which they employ, serve the general good, and develop the realisation of Brotherhood.
I ask you to drop your antagonisms and your antipathies, your hatreds and your racial differences, and to attempt to think in terms of the one family, the one life, and the one humanity. I would remind you that hatred and separateness have brought humanity to the present condition. I would add to that reminder, however, the fact that there is in the world today a large enough number of liberated men, to produce a change in the attitudes of mankind and in public opinion, if they measure up by an act of the will, to what they know and believe.
I challenge you also to make sacrifices; to give yourself and your time, and your money, and your interest, to carry these ideas to those around you, in your own environment, and to the group in which you find yourself, thus awakening your associates. I call you to a united effort to inculcate anew the ideas of brotherhood and of unity. I ask you to recognise your fellow workers in all the groups and to strengthen their hands. I ask you to seal your lips to words of hatred and of criticism, and to talk in terms of brotherhood and of group relationships. I beg of you to see to it that every day is for you a new day, in which you face new opportunity. Lose sight of your own affairs, your petty sorrows, worries and suspicions, in the urgency of the task to be done, and spread the cult of unity, of love and of harmlessness.
I also ask you to sever connection with all groups which are seeking to destroy and to attack, no matter how sincere their motive. Range yourself on the side of the workers for constructive ends, who are fighting no other groups or organisations, and who have eliminated the world “anti” out of their vocabulary. Stand on the side of those who are silently and steadily building for the new order – an order which is founded on love, which builds under the impulse of brotherhood, and which possesses a realisation of brotherhood, which is based on the knowledge that we are, each and all, no matter what our race, the children of the One Father, and who have come to the realisation that the old ways of working must go, and the newer methods must be given a chance.
If you cannot yourself teach or preach or write, give of your thought and of your money, so that others can. Give of your hours and minutes of leisure, so as to set others free to serve the Plan; give of your money, so that the work of those associated with the New Group of World Servers may go forward with rapidity. Much time you waste on non-essentials. Many of you give little or nothing of time. The same is the case with money. Give as never before, and so make the physical aspects of the work possible. Some give of their very need, and the power they thereby release is great. Those on the inner side are grateful for the giving by those who can give only at great personal cost. Others give of what they can spare, and only when it needs no sacrifice to give. Let that condition also end, and give to the limit, with justice and understanding, so that the age of love and light may be more rapidly ushered in. I care not where or to whom you give, only that you give, – little if you have but little of time and money, much if you have much. Work and give, love and think and aid those groups who are building and not destroying, loving and not attacking, lifting and not tearing down.
I challenge you above all to a deeper life, and I implore you for the sake of your fellow men to strengthen your contact with your own soul, so that you will have done your share in making revelation possible; so that you will have served your part in bringing in the light, and will therefore be in a position to take advantage of that new light and new information, and so be better able to point the way and clear the path for the bewildered seeker at that time. Those who are not ready for the coming events, will be blinded by the emerging light, and bewildered by the revealing wonder; they will be swept by the living breath of God, and it is to you that we look to fit them for the event.
I’ve always been RD, which are my initials. Well, sort of. *grin* The D signifies my pseudonym, but as a couple of people have pointed out, I’m not that hard to find. The email is live, but if you spam me, I’ll block you.
BTW, heartlander, you aren’t blocked. I still have the emails you sent, I just haven’t formulated a good reply.
I’m Rox to my friends. It’s short, I’m sweet. TeeHee
Hello, Dennis!
Ehh. . .I took maybe 5 seconds to choose my nic, and quite frankly, you influenced me, Dennis. It’s like a comfortable old shoe now, though it was kinda weird at first-being Mr. Anger-I didn’t expect to become a regular.
My real life is on the Internet to some degree elsewhere. I like privacy. Several of the regulars here know who I am, though. ‘Nuff said.
Tracy, that was a mouthful, and don’t have the time to read carefully right now. I’ll come back.
Okay, that was REALLY my last post!
I appreciate that Ben. Go Shox!!
I used to post under my real name, Steve, but changed to Shocker’07 when other “Steve’s” began coming out of the woodwork. I didn’t want to be confused with them.
In hindsight, I kinda wish I’d gone with what I use on the messageboards: “billyjack”, but oh well…
I really considered changing my screen name to TARKUS.(after the ancient rock album with the armadillo/army tank on the cover).
If for no other reason, just to avoid the gender confusion that comes from being the boy named Sue.
Rage,Sorry about the influence. I sometimes forget that you can radiate both positive and negative inluences to people around you.
It’s a wearying business, arguing with Creationists. Basically, it is a game of Whack-a-Mole. They make an argument, you whack it down. They make a second, you whack it down. They make a third, you whack it down. So they make the first argument again. This is why most biologists just can’t be bothered with Creationism at all, even for the fun of it. It isn’t actually any fun. Creationists just chase you round in circles. It’s boring.
Tracy, I’m surprised you’re old enough to know about that old album. Emerson, Lake, and Palmer were standard fare when I was in college.
Lemmesee. . . .I’ve been some kinda dinasaur, can’t remember which. I’ve been Brer Tarbaby, Dubious Behavior, and last but not least, my favorite: MOTHER ( and if that don’t shock a few, nothing will). KFG is the only one who knows why, and she is sworn to secrecy:-)
Is these TUBES the Democratic talking points that you guys got from Air America or something? It just came out of the blue (literally) all of a sudden.
The John Stewart bit was lame.
Very funny spot on Net Neutrality, much funnier than “Bridge to Nowhere” Senator.
http://www.askaninja.com/news/2006/05/11/ask-a-ninja-special-delivery-4-net-neutrality
But I for one am against Net Neutrality. I used to be for it, but after reading more about it and the lobbyist power of Microsoft and Google wanting to play business on the cheap, I don’t want Net Neutrality.
A good spot about the con of Net Neutrality.
http://www.internetofthefuture.org/ (flash movie)
A good commentary on the con of Net Neutrality.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5500103
Net Neutrality sounds all in good, because of the way it is worded. Makes it seem like it’s all fair, and the Net Neutrality crowd would have you thinking that this is what exisit today and Congress is just extending that. THAT IS NOT TRUE!
Read more about it. Net Neutrality isn’t much more than heavy government regulations to make the Internet a Socialized Government Program. It will be heavily monitored and regulated by the Govenment. Ebay, Microsoft, Google will be the only benificiaries, because they get what is amount to government subsidized price for bandwidth.
Call your Congressional Members and tell them NOT to vote for Net Neutrality.
I used my whole name for the the first few weeks I was posting. I stopped that and just use my initals.
I HAVE used other nics to shill a meet up and for humorous purposes on occasions. I usually make it very obvious or outright say this is J R.
I don’t really like that nic. I’d like to wear something more clever. But it and I are probably inseperable after so much time. What say you? Should I change it?
I HAVE paid the occasional price for posting my initials and having a live email continuously from day 1. I used to get some really vile email. I used to think I knew who sent that but since I cannot be sure and since it stopped I never “calledout” anyone for it.
Walker,
The MOTHER thing cracks me up. An unnamed male poster told me once he knew who mother was. I assumed she was some weird female he had associated with. (Sorry, you-know-who-you-are, nothing personal).
MOTHER seemed real to me — maybe ’cause I have associated with weird women like her.
Man, you have got some talent that ought to be used more.
Thanks.
What is funny is that I use my real name and a live e-mail address and the only person to ever e-mail me was you JR. And it wasn’t friendly at all. You were down right being a tool.
But I forgave you.
So I’m going to call BS on your so called, getting a bunch of vile e-mails, because I doubt it. Because I don’t get any. That might not be saing much. I’m not for sure if you invite it or not.
I’m strong headed against a lot of the leftist on here, but I don’t go around e-mailing them or they e-mailing me. We do it here on this blog.
Like Shocker 07, my real name is Steve. I like small s steve — even if he is an undying arena supporter (I think I have my Steves right).
The creation who is the Original Steve is supposed to be a fellow who hangs around public restrooms hoping to have anonymous gay sex. Something I don’t usually do. I am pretty sure that Original Steve has been used by two different posters who are on opposite political sides. Would rather not be confused with that Steve.
There are some other occasional steve’s whom I don’t really know. Like JR was saying, given that I have been with this nickname a while, I will stick with it, I guess.
People have emailed me. Even people I don’t usually agree with, and have had some heated exchanges with, have been polite and reasonable in their emails. Have many posters identified as friends with whom I exchange periodic emails.
Thanks for bringing the subject up, Tracy. Ditto on arguing with creationists. Just as Robin Willimas said: “cocaine is proof you have too much money” (not an exact quote) – mine would be “arguing with creationists is proof you have too much time on your hands.”
And we have the perfect storm brewing in the Mid-East. Hezbolla rocketing Israel, an Israeli ship seriously damaged, and Israel bombing the surrounding area. Syria and Iran talking tough, Russia and China siding against the Jews, and Europe doing what Europe usually does…being impotent. Isn’t it amazing what happens when you destabilize a region? Anybody want to bet on a nuclear device being used? Will this develop into a regional war? Can we raise that to a global conflict?
Well, we have a President who believes in the “end of days”; maybe he is trying to bring it in.
I heard on the news this morning that Israel attacked at least one hospital in Beirut. Hopefully Hizbollah can strike back with something real.
“arguing with creationists is proof you have too much time on your hands.”
Hey DD, if you can’t beat them, pretend they didn’t point that out!
Actually, I think that blogging here is proof you have too much time on your hands. As a self-employed person, it is the devil that must be resisted!
Tracy, I have not posted as anyone else but I don’t feel comfortable with the possibility of losing a client over political beliefs. Thus, the anonymous nic.
I’ve used my real name and email address forever, but I have yet to get a visit from the purple chicken :(Um, did I get that right?
My name, Damoon, came from a shortened version of a little boy whose name I loved, “Darrius Moon”. It’s the only name I have posted under. My real name is Mary Caruso. I think I’m going to start using my real name. My email has always been live.I don’t worry about emails or letters, etc. I always get a few when I get an editorial published.
Alas…, I’m still gster, the kid my Mom didn’t want me to play with. Sigh..
Gster,I’ll play with you, but its gotta include guitars:-)
DD,I’ll bring out MOTHER once and awhile. My inner me will decide when:-)
JM– You Mother!!- you’re on, How many strings?Only kidding– thanks.G
I remain XXX. Many of you know who I am. If I want you to know, you’ll know.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!
My email is live. You need only ask.
Somebody help me out. My memory is failing me, and usually the long term kind is fairly good. Not this time.
Way back, 30 years or so ago, I remember hearing that WW3 would be us, the Bear and the ??? The Bear represented Russia, but what represented China? I can’t remember. It wasn’t the dragon.
Whatever, that makes it really scary that Russia and China are siding against Israel, since it’s a sure bet the U.S. is siding with Israel.
On the other hand, I’ve always said it wouldn’t be a super power that brought out the big gun (nuclear), but rather a small country nutcase. I would sincerely hate to be right.
“Hey DD, if you can’t beat them, pretend they didn’t point that out!”Sorry, outlander, once more you are wrong. But then, you wouldn’t want to break a perfect record, now would you?
Outlander, though wrong all of the time, is polite. He gets points for that.
RD:”Way back, 30 years or so ago, I remember hearing that WW3 would be us, the Bear and the ??? The Bear represented Russia, but what represented China? I can’t remember. It wasn’t the dragon.”
My father, the good Lutheran, told me the verse was “The Bear shall reap the eagle, and the Eagle shall than reap the Bear.”
Guess his take on that?
Hey, anyone still awake switch over to the History Channel…
There is a show on about the coming armageddon and the signs that both the environment and the biblical references…
Its interesting… For both “believers” and people like me who dont give a leap.
Done Tony
Joe? My emails to you were heated. They were not obscene cruel and anonymous as the ones I got were. And NO I am not implicating you. You can call BS on me if you like. I really don’t care.
Aww JM/ Mother why did you let that one out? I felt priviledged to know the truth since the second meet up when you shared it with me. Sorta made up for how “Mother” picked on me before!
Hey XXX I know who you are and I know where you live.
Still watching the history channel take on the four horsemen of the apocalypse Tony.
I am wondering which one bush is. I’ve never seen that “cowboy” astride a horse. Maybe he is just a horse and not one of the horsemen!
The purple chicken is off to Waikiki.
Heated?
Word for word quotes from your e-mail to me.
“Hank Price I despise. Nathan I despise.”
“Before I go on, let me be clear that I hate conservatives. Most especially I hate bush conservatives. I afford them no quarter on this forum and I ask none.”
Hardly what I call a compasionate liberal. That is why I say it may be different, because you bring it on yourself.
Why hate man? This world has too many haters, we need peace and love bro!
Right ON Joe.And what’s the inside scoop on the purple chicken thing?
Ok, this Open thread is old (by this site’s standard) and buried. Still, I’ve got a “best of the web this week” that’s so good, imo, it merits the considerable risk of not being read *enough* that being buried might give it.
Short preface: if you’re of the Left persuasion, don’t let the source stop you from reading this most excellent review, by PJ O’Rourke, of Adam Smith’s “The Theory of Moral Sentiments.” If you’re of the Right persuasion, I’m not talking to you because you may have already read this.
Short preface II (sorry): this is great stuff, imo. In fact, this is one of those rare book reviews where you can actually learn something (I did).
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/012/401ngehx.asp?pg=1?ZoomFont=YES
Flike
Excellent read, thanks.
That was a great read.
Where I see the difference that we all share in regards to politics, is, how do we use the government (a force of power) to better our society.
Some people think that government needs more power and oversight, some people think it needs less.
I say less!
“Some people think that government needs more power and oversight, some people think it needs less.”
Yet another unintentionally hilarious Joe Williams quote.
Care to explain Rage? Or all you can do is launch empty attacks.
Not this time, Joe. I’ll let someone else explain it to you.
Ok!
Looks like I win!
Have anything else to say or are you here on WE blog just to make lynching comments about somebodies elses post without anything to add or say like you normally do?
JR,Actually, I outed myself so Ian could look back at the time he was bitch-slapped by a freaky old woman:-)
Hehehe! I think you have me confused with Joe Blow.
If nobody else weighs in, I’ll tell you. But I want to see what happens. Be patient.
Joe, from this standpoint, I agree with you: to the extent that government collects resources from one group only to redistribute them exclusively (or nearly exclusively) to another, then government fails.
Here’s where we are likely to disagree (I think; perhaps not): a federal tax policy that redistributes the resources of the less-rich, middle class, and lower (economic) class only to redistribute them upward (redistributes them to the rich) is morally inferior to the converse.
However, there is a limit to the smallness of federal government (I think we agree on this).
One area that I’m sure we’re in agreement: I’m sure you and I both wish the Left could *unequivocally* agree with the moral underpinnings of capitalism (what Smith called natural liberty), especially as reflected in this (from the link):
“It’s a mistake to read The Wealth of Nations as a justification of amoral greed. Wealth was Smith’s further attempt to make life better. In Moral Sentiments he wrote, “To love our neighbor as we love ourselves is the great law of Christianity.” But note the simile that Christ used and Smith cited. The Theory of Moral Sentiments was about the neighbor. The Wealth of Nations was about the other half of the equation: us.
It is assumed, apparently at the highest level of moral arbitration, that we should care about ourselves. And logically we need to. In Moral Sentiments Smith insisted, paraphrasing Zeno, that each of us “is first and principally recommended to his own care.” A broke, naked, starving self is of no use to anyone in the neighborhood. In Wealth Smith insisted that in order to take care of ourselves we must be free to do so. The Theory of Moral Sentiments showed us how the imagination can make us care about other people. The Wealth of Nations showed us how the imagination can make us dinner and a pair of pants.”
Walker, I half-suspected MOTHER was an invention, but it was too good NOT to believe, and I didn’t dream for a minute it was you! You DAWG!
Okay, flike took the high road and responded to what he thought you meant. That’s the nice thing to do, and since I’m probably being too mean this morning (but “lynching”? geez!), I imagine others will follow suit.
“Oversight” relates to the separation of powers. When you reduce legislative oversight, it invariably increases the power of the Executive Branch, thus giving more power to government. Your statement was an obvious contradiction.
Hehehe . . . My female side ROCKS!
Rage! I’m pretty sure I see what you do in Joes statement. I TOO will let him mull it. Too funny!
Joe I think you will laugh too when you “get it”.
Oops I didn’t get it.That’s even funnier then what I got out of the wide open opportunity for a shot that Joe left open!
XXX-I was born in sixty.ELP was always on my hot list.Ah, the GOLDEN age of rock and roll.
.”Some people think that government needs more power and oversight, some people think it needs less.I say less!”
Uh Joe? Lately it seems that Dems would agree with you. At least more so than the power grabbing bush admininstration!
THAT is what I saw as funny!
“Clear the battlefield and let me seeAll the profit from our victory.You talk of freedom, starving children fall.Are you deaf when you hear the season’s call?”
Rage, another ELP Fan? Why am I not surprised?
Tracy,My email is live. Drop me a line and the secrets of Purple Chickendom shall be revealed.
Hey, X, my first instrument was piano. . . :)
Rage,Ha! I started on the piano! Went to guitar and then Banjo. Can’t say I was very good at any of it. I’m more of a singer. I’ve been told I’m pretty good.
“I’ve been told I’m pretty good.”I keep telling his mom not to encourage him.